2 Samuel 7:26 And let your name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel… Any name of God is magnified when it is made to appear great in the eyes of his intelligent creatures, and they esteem and declare it great. This is done when he himself adds to the significance of the name by yet more glorious works or revelations; and when they come to larger conceptions of its significance, and consequently use the name with greater fulness of meaning. Thus as "the sons of God" watched the various stages of creation, the name of "Creator" would acquire greater significance and glory. The name "Jehovah of hosts" would become more glorious as the hosts themselves in the heavens and on earth grew more numerous. But David here assumes that additional glory to this great name of God might and would arise from his relation to Israel; that to say, "Jehovah of hosts is the God over Israel," would be to add lustre to the name. And rightly, for his Name has been magnified by what he did amongst and for that people, by the revelations of himself which he gave them, and by the results in their national history, in the character and deeds of many of them, and in the history of the world. He made through them such manifestations of his greatness and goodness, righteousness and mercy, as befitted himself; and for which vast multitudes have magnified and do magnify him in their thoughts and thanksgivings. Until the Christ came, no name of God was more illustrious than this, "Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel." In fact, the coming of Christ and all that has grown out of it was included in that name. Hence another name of God greater still, "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," and "the God and Father of Christ's people." Yea, the whole Name of God, his whole character, all the terms and declarations by which he is made known, is magnified by what he has said and done in Christ. The great threefold name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is as never before declared and glorified in the work of salvation. I. HOW GOD'S NAME IS MAGNIFIED IN AND BY HIS PEOPLE. This is effected by: 1. The work wrought for them. "'Twas great to speak a world from nought; 'Twas greater to redeem." 2. The revelations made to them. In the Person, teaching, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus; and by the teaching of the Holy Spirit through the . evangelists and apostles. In these God is manifested more fully and clearly than by all his works besides. Never before did his Name appear so great and glorious. 3. The work wrought in them. The regeneration and sanctification of souls is a more interesting and illustrious display of Divine power than the creation of suns and stars, and reveals more of the Divine nature. The spiritual beauty and glory thus produced surpass all the beauty and glory of the natural world, and in them more of God appears. In "the fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22) God is magnified more than in all other products of his power. 4. The works done by them. The witness they bear for God by their worship and teaching, and sometimes their sufferings as confessors and martyrs; their godly and loving endeavours for the good of others; the courage and self-sacrifice, faith and patience, with which many of them labour for the spread of the gospel; and the good thus effected; - all magnify, the Name of God, from whom all proceed, and to the fulfilment of whose gracious purposes all conduce. The changes wrought by the labours of Christians - the whole influence and results of Christianity, notwithstanding all drawbacks (serious as these are), are of such a nature and magnitude as to exalt the Name of God more than anything else in the world. 5. The condition they at length attain. Their ultimate moral and spiritual perfection, their perfect happiness, their vast number. "He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe" (2 Thessalonians 1:10). 6. The praises which are given to him on their account. From themselves, from the angelic hosts; on earth, in heaven; forever. In these ways God appears great and ever greater because of his relation to Christ and the Church. II. THE PRAYER OF GOOD MEN RESPECTING IT. "Let thy Name be magnified;" let it become greater and greater in the sight of the intelligent universe, and become more and more admired and praised, through what is done in and for and by thy people. 1. Such a prayer is natural to good men. Because they love God, because they have received so much from him, and because they desire the welfare of others, which is involved in the magnifying of the Name of God, 2. There is much to intensify such a prayer. (1) The condition of the Church. In which there is so much that does not glorify the Name of God, so little comparatively that does. To say that the Lord of hosts is God of such a people does not tend to honour him so greatly as his zealous servants desire. The prayer from their hearts and lips will mean, "Let Christ's people become so Christ-like as to make it manifest that their religion is from God, that they themselves are specially his, and that be is indeed a Being glorious in holiness and loving kindness." (2) The condition of the world. In which God is so little thought of, his Name so little esteemed; in which idols and all manner of vain and even wicked things are magnified more than God; in which men give to themselves and their fellow men the honour which should be his; and whose salvation and whole well being would be ensured by those changes which would magnify the Name of God. (3) The slow progress of the kingdom of God. The apparent weakness of the Church in reference to her great work, and her real insufficiency for it, should lead all Christians to pray that God would so "arise" and "let his work appear" in the spread and establishment of his kingdom that his Name may be magnified in the earth as it has never yet been. 3. Let the prayer be accompanied by practice. Let each of us who pray, "Hallowed be thy Name," so live as to aid in fulfilling our prayer; first, in our general character and conduct, and then by faithful endeavours to promote the honour of God amongst professing Christians and throughout the world. Also by hearty praise to God for all he has done in connection with Christ and Christianity to make his Name great and glorious. Observe, finally, that the Name of God is magnified in the punishment of his enemies. Let us beware lest we be made in this manner to glorify him. Let us rather honour his Name as it appears in Jesus Christ by our faith and obedience; then he will honour it in our salvation. - G.W. Parallel Verses KJV: And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. |
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